NEW CASTLE, DELAWARE – A US based Liberian Journalist, Moses D. Sandy, says President Joseph Nyumah Boakai is a dictator and his autocratic tendencies are endangering the Liberia’s political governance, peace, and stability of the country.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, April 29, 2025, Mr. Sandy, National President Emeritus of the Association of Liberian Journalists in the Americas (ALJA), expressed concern over President Boakai’s persistent disregard for the rule of law. He cited the President’s failure to enforce compliance with the national Code of Conduct by political appointees, his handling of tenure positions, and his recent blatant disregard for the Supreme Court’s reaffirmation of Cllr. J. Fonati Koffa as Speaker of the House of Representatives as deeply troubling and unfortunate.
On April 23, 2025, the Supreme Court ruled on Speaker Koffa’s bill of information which was filed with the Court in December 2024. Then the Court recognized and emphatically declared that he remains the legitimate and constitutionally elected Speaker of the House of Representatives.
The Court also nullified the self-styled majority bloc so-called election of Representative Richard Koon as speaker of the House of Representatives. The Court said Koon’s election was unconstitutional because the electoral process was marred by violations of Articles 33 and 49 of the Liberian constitution.
Moreover, the Court ruled that all actions taken by the renegade lawmakers in the House of Representatives in contravention of Articles 33 and 49 of the Liberian constitution are illegal.
Despite the Court’s unambiguous ruling, President Boakai on April 24, 2025, in a nationwide address, acknowledged the ruling, but opted to literally disobey the ruling. He disappointingly declared, “Fellow Liberians, our Constitution and the Supreme Court have defined what constitutes a quorum for the conduct of business in the legislature. We intend to vigorously uphold this vital principle of our constitutional democracy. We will continue to work with the quorum that will ensure the full functioning of our government”.
The President said his administration will continue to conduct official business with Representative Koon and his cronies even though the so-called “quorum or majority bloc” has no constitutional backing.
In a press release issued on April 29, 2025, Journalist Sandy said President Boakai refusal to heed and enforce the ruling of Supreme Court set a bad precedent for the sustenance of the Liberian democracy. He said the President has no discretional power as to how to enforce the Supreme Court ruling. Citing Article 65 of the Liberian constitution, Mr. Sandy said it is imperative for the President to respect and enforce the Court’s decision because rulings or judgements from the Supreme Court are final and binding with no avenue for appeal.
Article 66 of the constitution also stipulates that the Supreme Court is the ultimate authority on constitutional matters, and compliance with rulings from the court is not optional.
The Liberian journalist recalled that on January 22, 2024, when Mr. Boakai was inaugurated as President of Liberia, he took an oath and pledged to support, uphold, protect, and defend the constitution of the Republic of Liberia, but in less than two years of political stewardship, the President has chosen to renege on those sacred commitments.
He said President Boakai’s defiance is reminiscent of Liberia’s ugly past where some autocratic former presidents including the late Samuel K. Doe and the now imprisoned Charles Taylor arrogated laws unto themselves and abused the rights of Liberians with impunity.
He recalled that beginning December 24,1989 to 2003, Liberia experienced successive civil wars that reportedly claimed more than 250 thousand human lives and the destruction of properties worth millions of US dollars due to misrule, social injustices, and unwarranted ground standing such as the ill-advised decision taken by President Boakai and his surrogates of the Unity Party (UP) and the House of Representatives.
He said since October 17, 2024, when a group of renegade lawmakers of the House of Representatives signed a resolution seeking the removal of Speaker Koffa for reported acts of malfeasance, President Boakai and his political appointees have brazenly provided moral, monetary, logistical, and political supports for the dethroning of the Speaker despite repeated public outcries.
Meanwhile, Journalist Sandy is calling on Liberians and friends of Liberia to publicly condemn President Boakai’s selfish and irrational decision which is bent on undermining Liberia’s peace and stability. The Liberian journalist said, “President Boakai is a terrible leader. Instead of leading as chief executive, he is being led by his cronies and surrogates”.
